COMMERCE ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF MAIN STREET COMMUNITY DASHBOARD

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Commerce, today announced the release of the cloud-based Main Street Community Dashboard. The dashboard will provide community leaders publicly available, but not always easy to find, information that can be used to help grow healthy, vibrant, financially solvent communities.

“Community leaders in North Dakota are often volunteers who wear many hats. If we can help by simplifying processes and reducing mundane work, they can focus on the things that really drive impact. Armed with the data across key areas they can foster economic development, execute and evolve their plans and provide the state team feedback that ensures we focus on the right tools to support their growth,” said Holly Holt, senior manager of strategic initiatives at the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

The dashboard will continue to evolve over the next several months. The beta release viewable today at www.mainstreetnd.com/resourcesis focused on basic economics. It includes community profile information, state, county and city financial information as well as education highlights. In April, there will be increased reporting across many livability statistics from child care availability to recreation and healthcare. Beginning this summer, the dashboard will provide the option for city leaders to edit and update specific information that may help their economic development efforts and provide transparency of government. The dashboard will continue to be enhanced based on user feedback.

The North Dakota Department of Commerce, along with representatives from Governor Doug Burgum’s team, have been hosting meetings with leaders from cities across North Dakota over the past several months receiving updates on the region’s needs and providing information regarding state development programs.

“We’ve heard consistently at the Main Street meetings across the state that recruiting and retaining workforce is a challenge. We also know that digital disruption is changing how people make decisions on where and how they work. The information that will be available in the dashboard in the coming months may be instrumental in sharing the uniqueness that helps with workforce recruitment,” said Holt. “The dashboard is one of several tools being delivered through the Main Street Initiative to help communities who are building for the future.”

The Main Street Initiative is focused on three pillars of economic success: a skilled workforce; smart, efficient infrastructure; and healthy, vibrant communities to help North Dakota compete in a 21st century economy in which rapid technological advancement is changing every job, industry and organization.